How To Show Love

Love isn’t just in romantic relationships. Love should be everywhere in our life; in every relationship with every person we meet. I know I find it hard to show love to some people sometimes, but as a Christian we should love everyone we come in contact with. We are told to “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8.

The Bible tells us exactly what love is. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

We are also taught ways to love and show love. To show love we should listen without interrupting-“He who answers before listening- that is his folly and his shame.” Proverbs 18:13. To show love we should also speak without accusing-“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” James 1:19. Like 1 Corinthians tells us “love is patient” therefore we should be slow to become angry with one another. It’s hard to show love if you’re hurting each other out of anger. Proverbs 17:1 tells us that we should answer without arguing, “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.”

Charity comes from the heart; love also comes from the heart. Proverbs 21:26 says “All day long he craves for more, but the righteous gives without sparing.” If we have a loving heart we should want to help others. Helping others doesn’t always mean giving them things, it could also mean building them up with words or giving advice.

I have a good group of prayer partners. We love each other and praying for each other strengthens our relationships. Colossians 1:9 tells us that we should pray for each other without ceasing, “For this reason, since the day we have heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with knowledge of his will through all.”

Our earthly selves want to complain when we don’t want to do something, but complaining isn’t a way of showing love. If you’re complaining about helping someone with a task, or going and doing something that they like to do it makes it sound like you don’t want to spend time with them. “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Philippians 2:14.

Don’t hold grudges. Grudges damage relationships, and makes it hard to show love to one another. “Bear with each other and forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 13:7.

Dear "Christians"

          It’s come to my attention how we as Christians act towards other people and honestly it’s appalling. Why are we sitting here condemning people for their actions? Are we not sinning just as much as them? Remember all sins are equal in God’s eyes. That’s right, so that guy you were judging for being gay the other day, well your sins are just as bad as his.

          Why are we sitting in church and not being friendly and welcoming everyone that walks into the doors? It doesn’t matter how many tattoos and piercings someone has, it doesn’t matter if it’s an unmarried couple expecting a child, it doesn’t matter if they are a successful small business owner, or if they are a homeless drug addict they ALL deserve the same amount of love and should all feel as welcome as the next into our churches.

          Have you forgotten what Matthew 7:2 says? “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”, Matthew reminds us that how we sit there and judge another one of God’s creations is the same way that we will  be judged by God.

          Why do we as Christians think that we are too good to hang out with people that sin differently then we do? Have you forgotten that Jesus, the man that we are suppose to be modeling our lives after showed loved to prostitutes, homeless people, people with leprosy, and tax collectors. In fact one of Jesus’ disciples was a tax collector and wrote the first book of the New Testament.

          If Jesus would say something to today’s church do you believe that he would be happy with the lack of love and forgiveness in it? Jesus said that anybody could be his follower. Anybody means EVERYBODY, and everybody includes the drug addicts, homeless, prostitutes, tattooed and pierced, the single parents, the divorcees, the hurt and broken. All of these people deserve to know and feel God’s love, so why are we refusing to show it to them?

Calling All Women of God

          Many women today have no respect for themselves. They are walking around showing their body off wanting to look “sexy”. Why? Why do they believe that they have the right to go around showing off what is for their future husband? Why are they going around disrespecting what God created? What happened to the old ideas of how women should act?

          God teaches us women that we should be COMPASSIONATE. Proverbs 11:16 “A kind hearted woman gains respect…”. “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 30:20. Are you being compassionate? I don’t believe that verse 20 is only talking about the financially needy. Be compassionate towards the broken hearted, the people that are spiritually struggling and broken. Reach out and touch their hearts. Pray for them and for what they are struggling with.

          A woman of God should be FAITHFUL! “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good not harm, all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:11-12. Proverbs 31:28 “Her children arise and call he blessed, her husband also, and he praises her.” I believe that we are called to not only to be faithful to our husbands (or future husbands), but also to our family, friends, and church family. Do not go around and be unfaithful to your friends by spreading rumors and letting small disputes come between you. Build a firm relationship and encourage each other.

          God calls women to be HONORABLE. Proverbs 31:17 “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:25-26. God expects us to work hard at what we do and not do things that can bring shame to ourselves, our families, or God.

          Women of God should most importantly be GOD FEARING! Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” A woman of God should love God and know that he will provide no matter what is going on in her life at the moment. He has already provided us with so much, and we know that he can take it all away in a heart beat. Fear and love God!

My Testimony

I was raised in church. I went every time the doors were open. I was "saved" when I was 6, but I didn't really understand what having a personal relationship with God was all about. I've been an aunt since I was two and never really had much of a childhood because I was always helping out with my sister's four kids. Me and my mom did not have a very good relationship, but an amazing women at my daycare became like an extra mom to me and I had a wonderful relationship with her. When I was about ten years old my sister's kids started staying with us at night while she was working. My parents didn't pay me a lot of attention and I began to feel neglected and unloved and started at an extremely young age my battle with depression. When I was twelve my extra mom dies of a heart attack, and it turned my life completely upside now. I hadn't realized how much of an impact she had on my life. Around this time I started self harming and turning against God out of anger. The past four  years have been a huge challenge. I've come extremely close to suicide, and have left many scars on my body. Last year I went to camp with my youth group and one of the discussions was about the masks we wear. After that lesson I got the courage to tell my closest friends and youth pastor about what was going on in my life. Since that week at camp I have been trying to stop self harming (it's been over a month since the last time!), but my relationship with God still wasn't where it needed to be. This summer I went to a different camp and it was incredible! I'm on fire for God and haven't lost my passion since we've gotten home. I haven't been this happy in a long time, and I give all the glory to God! I've learned that no matter what is going on you can not turn your back to God.

No Hate Allowed

For some reason today's society gets a thrill out of bullying, hating, and insulting each other. It's a vicious cycle, and once it's started it's hard to end. This lack of love is leading to abuse, self-harm, and suicide. 

     Why does one person believe that they are bigger then someone and have the right to treat another person so horribly? Dd God not create each and everyone of us? Does he not look at each of us and say that we are created perfectly in his eyes? "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27. 

     It drives me crazy when I see people that claim to be Christians bullying other people. People that have a relationship with God should not care what a person's sexual orientation is, what their ethnicity is, or what a person's beliefs are. We are taught to love everyone regardless. God also tells us that he is love. "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1John 4:8. 

     To the people that are being hated on remember that you are a work of God. "I praise you because you are fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful and I know that full well." Psalm 139:14. 

"Spread the love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier." -Mother Teresa

Just Forgive

Whenever someone wrongs us we're told to forgive and forget, but as humans we find that difficult to do or we just flat out don't want to. Human nature tells us to hold a grudge or to plot revenge. Why do we do that? Holding grudges and hating people over something that happened in the past and can't be changed is just stupid, and requires so much more work then just forgetting what happened and forgiving that person. I know it's not an easy thing to do, but lucky for us we have someone that is setting an amazing example for us. Psalm 86:5 says it all "You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you." If God can forgive us every time we sin against him then why can't we forgive the people that have wronged us? In Genesis 50:17 we are told "This is what you are to tell Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.." If Joseph could forgive his brothers for selling him into slavery then why can't we forgive someone for lying to us? It's natural to be mad at first, but forgiveness should be the next step. "There is a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time t build up." Ecclesiastes 3:3. Don't let the lack of ability to forgive destroy your relationships.  "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32  

True Love

As a teenager I am faced with many definitions of love. At school I hear love thrown around a lot. People say that you show love by sleeping with your boyfriend or girlfriend. To me love is respecting the person you are with and the people you're around. It's putting that person ahead of your selfish wants and desires. Love is being understanding, supportive, and forgiving. That's just my personal belief. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres." God says that love should be honest, patient, trusting, hopeful, and love should push through hard times.